It is known that specific lipids and their metabolites control the transcription of genes and mediate diverse aspects of intracellular signaling. Recent advances have defined the signaling molecule's transcription factors, auxiliary coactivators and corepressors and the mechanisms through which these factors act to regulate the expression of genes. These new insights may help to further our understanding of both normal physiological homeostatic control, i.e., cholesterol homeostasis mediated by feedback regulation through sterol-responsive element binding proteins (SREBPs) and the bases for certain pathophysiological states such as diabetes from insulin resistance and the role of peroxisomal proliferator activator receptor in this disease, also known as PPAR GAMMA. The opportunity to discover new therapeutics for the treatment of diseases caused by altered lipid metabolism, specifically hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, and neurological disease has been realized by scientists working in research programs in academia and in industry. The function of this application is to provide support for the 1999 Kern Aspen Lipid Conference entitled "Lipids as Modulators of Gene Expression: Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis." The goal of this is to present and discuss new findings in the area of transcriptional regulation of lipid metabolizing genes. The meeting is designed to allow for intensive didactic presentations and extensive interaction periods. Both directly following each presentation and during lunches and poster sessions the meeting will begin on Saturday afternoon and end mid-day Tuesday. A typical day's activities will include a four- to five-hour session with four speakers; each speaker will present for 30 minutes and then lead a discussion of 30 minutes. On Sunday a two-hour poster session is scheduled after lunch. Each poster session has 20 posters which will be presented by young investigators. One informal buffet dinner is held on Sunday evening to further allow for discussions between attendees. A brief summary of the meeting generally appears in the Journal of Lipid Research. The chairmen of the meeting are Roger Davis of San Diego State University and David Russell of the University of Texas SW Medical Center. Session I is transcriptional regulation of lipid metabolism; Session II is cellular signaling, gene expression and intracellular trafficking; Session III is the role of PPARgamma in lipid metabolism; and Session IV is gene expression in macrophages in the arterial wall. Session I will be moderated by Roger Davis, and speakers will be Joseph Goldstein, David Mangelsdorf, Bob Tjian, and H.S. Sul. The moderator is Session II will be David Russell, and speakers will be Phil Beachy, Thomas Sudhof, and Tom Innerarity. Session III will be moderated by Helen Hobbs; speakers will be Ron Evans, Chris Glass, Mike Milburn, and Helen Hobbs. Session IV will be moderated by Linda Curtiss and speakers will be Peter Edwards, Peter Libby, Steve Prescott, and Zena Werb. There will be an additional four oral sessions and two poster sessions.